A Note on the Amount of Radiation Incident in the Depths of the Pelvis during Radiological Pelvimetry

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Amongst radiologists there has always been some unease in carrying out major radiological investigations during pregnancy, especially in its earlier stages. It has seemed desirable actually to measure the amount of radiation incident in the depths of the pelvis during the performance of radiological pelvimetry. This has recently been done at Queen Charlotte's Hospital, and the results are recorded below. Two patients were selected for the investigation of similar general build, one being fourteen weeks pregnant, the other thirty-seven weeks pregnant. In each patient the ionization chambers were placed in the postero-superior limits of the vaginal vault by Miss K. Robinson, F.R.C.S., the Resident Surgeon at the Hospital. On each patient, a full standard pelvimetric technique was carried out appropriate to the stage of pregnancy. Briefly, the technique used is as follows:— (1) Antero-posterior, patient supine, centring in mid-line 2 in. above symphysis pubis, cone covering circle of 17 in. diameter at 37 in. (2) Supero-inferior, patient sitting inclined back-wards, plane of inlet parallel to film, centring 2 in. behind symphysis, cone covering circle 10 in. diameter. (3) Lateral, patient erect, centring 2 in. above upper margin of greater trochanter, cone covering circle 14 in. diameter. (4) Subpubic arch projection, patient sitting inclined forwards, centring approximately over spinous process of third lumbar vertebra, cone as in (2). The focus-film distance used in projections 1, 2, and 3 is 37 in., and in projection 4 is 30 in.

This publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: